


it's always gonna be you

by nevermindthewind



Series: this is the song that we'll sing [1]
Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: F/M, Unplanned Pregnancy, amy gets pregnant right before jake goes to jail, like a lot, look its a lot of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 08:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14040345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevermindthewind/pseuds/nevermindthewind
Summary: In a Seven Eleven bathroom, Amy takes the first test she’s ever wanted to fail.Three minutes later she passes with flying colors.





	it's always gonna be you

**Author's Note:**

> When I watched 5x05 for the first time, I seriously thought when Amy got sick after eating all the meatballs that she was going to be pregnant. Obviously that wasn't true but I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so this fic was born.
> 
> Also I edited this myself so if I missed anything that's my bad!
> 
> Leave kudos and comments please and thank you. (:

_8 weeks 2 days_

 

Amy Santiago is sick.

 

She had started feeling ill on the plane down to South Carolina; she had to run to the bathroom multiple times during the two hour flight.

 

However, since she had been feeling fine after getting off the plane she brushed it off, simply chalking the mystery illness up to a mix of anxiety, excitement and the turbulence of the plane. She had chosen, instead, to focus on the fact that she and Jake would finally be reunited after eight agonizing weeks apart.

 

But when she wakes up for the third time in the night only to immediately run to the toilet, she finally admits it:

 

Amy Santiago is sick.

 

That morning her alarm clock goes off far too early for her liking and as much as she wants to see Jake, she can’t help but groan as she gets up.  Every muscle in her body is screaming at her to go back to bed, to crawl under the blankets and sleep forever, but she knows that today that’s not an option.

 

Carefully applying her makeup, she tries to clean herself up and hide the circles under her eyes, to make it look like she _didn’t_ just throw up her dinner from the night before.  The last thing she wants is to worry Jake after all he’s been through. So she uses some extra concealer and makes a note to add ginger ale to her list for when she stops by the gas station across the street. She’d already been planning to pick up an orange soda and gummy worms for Jake, so she’s still able to keep to her schedule.  

 

It’s when she checks her schedule that she notices the date. More specifically, she notices the little red number four _next_ to the date.

 

Today would’ve been the last day of her period. Her period that definitely never came.

 

This is impossible.  She is Amy Santiago, queen of organization and reliability. She takes her birth control every morning at 8:15. No exceptions.

 

But then again...

 

The morning of Jake and Rosa’s trial. She remembers now. She got up to make breakfast for Jake and with everything going on she’d forgotten to take it.

 

That was eight weeks ago.

 

With a shaking hand Amy adds one more item to her shopping list.

 

\--

 

Twenty minutes later, in a Seven Eleven bathroom, Amy takes the first test she’s ever wanted to fail.

 

And three minutes after that she passes with flying colors.

 

\--

 

“Ames.”

 

As sick and disgusting and anxious as Amy feels, all of that goes away the second she hears that voice. She turns around in her chair and that’s when she sees Jake, standing in the doorway in the clothes she’d brought for him.

 

He’s skinnier than he should be, and he has a deep cut on his cheek that wasn’t there the last time she’d visited, but it’s him. He’s here and he’s free and he’s never coming back to this hell hole again _._

 

Amy immediately stands up and rushes to him, relief washing over her as she buries her face in his shoulder and wraps her arms around his neck.

 

There are so many thoughts running through her head that she could say but the only thing she can do is whisper his name. She’d told herself to be strong, to be there for him, but she can’t help the tears that begin to fall and collect on his shirt.

 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Jake clutches onto her for dear life, one hand wrapped around her waist while the other strokes her hair.

 

“I love you so much, you know that?” she says fiercely, lifting her head and looking him straight in the eye.

 

He gives her a smile. It’s not quite the big, goofy smile she’s used to, but his eyes still light up and it’s the happiest he’s looked in months.  

 

“I love you so much, too.”

 

\--

 

She lets Jake guide the conversation as they make their way to the rental car and begin the drive back to the hotel.  They keep things light, talking about the precinct and Charles’ bleach blonde hair and the fact that Gina had her baby _._

 

Baby _._

 

At the word Amy felt a wave of nausea roll through her again. She brings a hand to her stomach as her thoughts begin to race.

 

_You have to tell him._

 

_He would want to know._

 

_But he literally just got out of prison._

 

“Ames?”

 

She turns her head to see Jake giving her a funny look. “Yeah?”

 

“You just drove past the hotel,” he says, pointing at the Hampton Inn sign as they indeed drive right past it.

 

“Oh. Right,” she says. She turns around at the next light and begins to make her way back to the hotel.

 

“Everything okay?” Jake asks, munching on a gummy worm. “You look like you did when you had to tell Holt you were the one who accidentally threw away his scone.”

 

_What if it’s a false positive?_

 

_Just tell him!_

 

_He literally JUST got out of prison!!!_

 

“Uh, yeah,” she says, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Jake doesn’t buy it.

 

“Is it the beard? Does it bother you? Because I can shave it, I really don’t--”

 

“Jake no, the beard is fine,” says Amy, looking over at him from the driver’s seat.

 

“Good, because I think it makes me look like a BAWSE,”  he replies with a smirk.

 

“But I do have something for you in the room.” His eyes light up at the mention of a surprise, causing her to smile.

 

 _God, I missed that face_.

 

She parks the car and the two of them walk hand in hand up to their room.

 

Her hands shake as she opens the door, knowing what’s about to happen.  Jake follows her in, slowly making his way into the room as he takes in his surroundings.  She sits on the bed and waits for Jake to follow suit.

 

_Stop being a weenie and just tell him!_

 

_What if he freaks out?_

 

_SPIT IT OUT SANTIAGO._

 

“Hey Jake?”

 

He turns to face her, still standing across the room. “Yeah?”

 

None of the planning, none of the binders in the world could’ve prepared her for this moment.  She takes a deep breath before she says the words that will change their lives forever,

 

“I’m pregnant.”

 

Jake’s eyebrows raise, but other than that his face remains neutral.  Amy immediately begins to panic.

 

“I don’t know how it happened,” she admits, “Well, actually I do. I forgot to take my birth control. But I don’t know how I forgot. I mean I _never_ forget things. But I must have forgotten and then with all the stress of trying to find Hawkins and you being gone -- Not that you were stressful! You didn’t do anything, Jake. What I mean is that I didn’t even notice that my period didn’t come and then--”

 

“Babe, you’re spiraling,” says Jake, cutting her off.

 

“Sorry.” She keeps her gaze down at her hands.

 

“Are you really pregnant?” Amy looks up to see Jake grinning back at her. It’s the same dopey smile he gave her when they kissed for the first time, the same smile he gave her the night they moved in together.  It’s a smile she hasn’t seen since before the trial. 

 

She pulls the test out from her bag and shows it to him. “I took it this morning. I’m so sorry.”

 

“Sorry?” He repeats, confused. “Why are you sorry?”

 

“Because,” she tells him, “You just got out of jail and then I sprang this on you. It’s hardly the quiet welcome you wanted.”

 

“Amy,” he says with a laugh as he makes his way to the bed where she is sitting.  He kneels in front of her and takes her hands. “This is the best news I could’ve asked for. We’re gonna have a _baby_.”

 

She runs a hand through his hair, a small smile on her face. “You’re really happy about this? I mean this is huge. Like, really huge.”

 

“I know,” he nods, “But if there’s anything I learned in there it’s that it’s always gonna be you, Ames. I don’t want to waste anymore time.” He places a hand on her stomach. “So yes. I’m really, _really_ happy about this.”

 

Amy’s smile widens, and for the first time she feels herself getting excited.  This wasn’t on the life calendar, not even close, but with Jake, she knows everything will be okay.

 

She places her hand on top of his.

 

“We’re gonna have a baby.” 

 

\-----

 

_10 weeks 6 days_

 

Jake’s still able to pull off his heist proposal with surprising ease.

 

That morning he wakes up to his alarm at 3:00am and immediately rolls over, expecting Amy to still be asleep. He is therefore confused to see her side vacant, the sheets in a heap at the end of the bed.  

 

Initially he assumes it’s something for the heist, that she had already gotten up and was on her way to the precinct.  But then he hears a small cough come from inside the bathroom and sees the light under the door.

 

_Oh no._

 

Jake jumps out of bed and makes his way to the bathroom door, knocking softly.

 

“Amy?” he calls. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah I’m fine,” Amy replies, her voice shaky. “I --” She’s cut off by another violent cough.  

 

The sound breaks Jake’s heart. She’s been sick everyday for the past two weeks, and while she’s been handling it like a freaking champ, it still kills Jake to know that there’s nothing he can do to help.  Even though he obviously wants to win today (well, _needs_ to win today), he still doesn’t want her to be sick. Proposing would be a lot less romantic if he had to do it in the bathroom.

 

“Can I come in?” he asks cautiously; the past couple of days he’s been promptly shut out of the bathroom so he’s more cautious now. However, when he doesn’t hear a response, he decides to take matters into his own hands.  He opens the door to find Amy, not hunched over the toilet in pajamas like he’d expected but standing fully dressed for work in front of the sink with an annoyingly smug smirk on her face.

 

“Thought you’d get a headstart on heist prep?” she asked, feigning innocence. “Well joke’s on you, Peralta. I’m already dressed.”

 

“So you’re not sick?” Jake asks, confused.

 

“I haven’t thrown up in _days_.”

 

“You threw up yesterday,” he points out.  

 

Amy raises her eyebrows. “Did I?”

 

Jake gasps dramatically, bringing his hand to his chest.

 

“Amy Santiago. That’s why you wouldn’t let me in?!” he exclaims, shaking his head, partially at Amy for tricking him but also at himself for not seeing this coming. “How dare you use our future child against me. And on the biggest day of the year? For shame, Amy, _for shame._ ”

 

“Yes, Santiago, for shame.”

 

Amy’s eyes go wide as Jake whips his head around to see Captain Holt emerge in the doorway, already completely dressed in his Captain’s uniform.

 

“Gah!” yells Jake.

 

“Oh my god Captain!” gasps Amy.

 

“We will discuss your pregnancy later. Now get a move on,” commands Holt.  “It’s Heist Time.”

 

Jake broke into a grin. “I love Halloween!”

 

\--

 

Twenty one hours later Jake’s down on one knee.

 

“Ames, I love you. I love how smart you are, I love how beautiful you are. I love your face and I love your butt-- ” He cringes. “I should’ve written this down first.”

 

“No no, it’s okay. Go on,” Amy says through tears.

 

Jake smiles as he continues. “I love how much you pretend to like Die Hard --”

 

“I liked the second one!” she insists.

 

“You don’t have to...”  

 

“Okay.”

 

“You’re kind and you’re funny and you’re the best person I know. And the best detective. And I _know_ you’re going to be the best mom.” Amy’s smile widens at that. “Also for realz, I love your butt.”

 

“I love yours too.”

 

“Gross.”

 

He pauses before saying the six words he’s been practicing for the last six months.

 

“Amy Santiago will you marry me?”

 

Amy’s smile grows so wide Jake’s pretty sure her face is gonna split in half. “Jake Peralta, I will marry you.”

 

With that Jake stands back up, letting out the breath he’d been holding. He rushes to Amy and slides the ring on her finger before kissing her.

 

When they break apart, he opens his eyes to see Amy looking right at him, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

 

“I love you so much,” she whispers.

 

“I love you, too,” he replies before bringing his hands to her stomach. “You hear that little guy? Your parents are now officially a betrawthed couple.”

 

“Betrothed...”

 

“ _Betrothed_ couple,” repeats Jake. “Either way, your parents are getting married!”

 

“MARRIED?!”

 

Jake drops his hands from Amy’s stomach as Charles crashes into the evidence room.

 

“Did you just--?” he starts, pointing at the ring box in Jake’s hand.

 

“Mhmm,” Jake nods.

 

Charles looks to Amy next. “And did you say--?”

 

“Mhmm,” smiles Amy, leaning into Jake.

 

And with that, Charles collapses to the ground.

 

“Bet you twenty dollars he has a full on stroke when we tell him about the baby,” Jake whispers into Amy’s ear.

 

Amy lets out a laugh. “I’ll take that action.”

 

\----

 

_12 weeks 3 days_

 

Charles finds out ten days later.

 

They’d had to have a talk with the Captain the day after the heist, a talk which had resulted in Amy begrudgingly agreeing to go on desk duty.  However they had sworn Holt to secrecy, wanting to save the official announcement for the 12 week mark.

 

Unfortunately, the day before they were to make the announcement Jake gets put on a huge case with Terry that takes all of his attention, putting a kibosh on that plan.

 

This leaves Amy to fend off Charles and the rest of the squad all on her own. She’s been doing pretty well, all things considered.  Her nausea has all but gone away, save for one close call the day before when Scully aired his wart-infested feet in front of the entire bullpen, but even then no one questioned her running to the bathroom. You weren’t really a part of the Nine-Nine until you lost your lunch over one of Hitchcock or Scully’s various diseases.

 

But then Amy and Charles get wrapped up in the excitement of their new food truck. The jumping combined with the four meatballs she’s just wolfed down cause a wave of nausea to run through her, stopping Amy mid-freakout.  

 

“STOP,” she yells, scaring Charles. They pause, Amy trying to breathe through the queasiness as she clutches her stomach.  

 

“Amy?” asks Charles. “You okay?”

 

Amy looks up to see Charles watching her. Behind him Jake is also eyeing her, cocking his head with concern from his perch on Rosa’s desk.

 

“Too many meatballs,” she mumbles quickly, trying to get the attention off of her sudden sickness. She looks over to Jake and gives him a knowing smile, which he returns with his own relieved grin.    
  
This look is not lost on Charles.

 

“What is this? A romantic glance between a newly engaged couple?! Is there something you two aren’t telling me?” He looks from Jake to Amy with the excitement of a puppy who’s just been offered a treat.

 

“Psshaw,” says Jake, hopping off the desk and walking over to Charles’ station. “Me, not tell my BM every little detail about my life? Charles, I am offended you would even think such a thing!”

 

“Yeah Charles,” says Amy, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“Then why did you look at Jake when you were contemplating vomiting up my murder balls?” Charles asks, causing both Amy and Jake to cringe.

 

“Maybe because you call them your murder balls,” suggests Jake with a look of disgust.

 

Charles shakes his head.  “No, that can’t be it. That’s a perfect name.”

 

Again Jake crinkles his nose. “Whatever you say, bu--” He’s cut off by Charles, who lets out a strangled cry of realization.

 

“YOU’RE PREGNANT!”

 

Rosa and Terry both look up from their desks.

 

‘What? No…” says Amy, in a last ditch effort to keep the secret. But Charles doesn’t buy it for a second.

 

“I mean, Amy, I’d noticed your breasts had become engorged but I just thought-- OW.” He’s cut off by Amy punching him in the arm.

 

“Boyle!” cries Jake.

 

“Never, _ever_ talk about my breasts again,” growls Amy.

 

Despite the glares from both Amy and Jake, Charles doesn’t look the least put out.  In fact, if anything he looks more excited.

 

“You didn’t deny it! America’s dream couple is finally having America’s dream baby!” Charles is practically jumping up and down at this point.

 

Amy raises her eyebrows at Jake, who shrugs in response. “Might as well.”

 

He takes her hand as they turn and face the precinct. Amy takes a deep breath. “Everybody, we have an announcement.”

 

“Wait, you’re actually knocked up?” Rosa asks, dropping the file she’s holding onto her desk.

 

Amy looks up at Jake to see his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Mhmm,” she nods before turning back to face the squad. “I’m pregnant.”

 

The corners of Rosa’s lips curl up into a tiny smile. “Dope.”

 

Jake grins back, exposing every one of his teeth. “You are correct, Rosa. It is in fact, very dope.”

 

“My work babies are having a baby,” Terry exclaims, jumping up to give both Jake and Amy hugs. He hugs Amy first. “Congratulations,” he whispers into her ear.

 

Amy can’t help the smile that begins to spread across her face. Now that the squad knows, it actually feels real. They are doing this.

 

“Thank you,” she whispers back.

 

“This is the happiest day of my life,” Charles exclaims, collapsing into his desk chair as tears stream down his face.

 

Amy looks up at Jake, arching an eyebrow.

 

“Technically he didn’t have a stroke. You better pay up, Peralta.”

 

\----

 

_15 weeks, 1 day_

 

As soon as they announce their pregnancy, everyone begins making bets on the subject.  

 

It starts out very unofficial, just a new way to pass the time in between cases. Charles bets Rosa the baby’s a boy, Terry bets Charles the baby is born after the due date, you get the idea.

 

And for the most part, Amy and Jake ignore them.  They have their own thoughts, but never really voice them to anyone, even each other.

 

That is, until Amy one day accidentally lets it slip that she thinks the baby’s a boy.

 

She’s sitting with Gina and Rosa in the break room eating her third bag of gummy bears (of course the one craving she had was Jake’s favorite food) when it comes up.

 

“Say what you want Rosa, but that baby is definitely a boy,” says Gina, “I’m a mother now, I know these things.”

 

Rosa shakes her head. “Nah, dude. It’s a girl.”

 

“Look, I’m just saying, Amy’s an anomaly. How many brothers do you have again?" Gina asks Amy.

 

“Seven.”

 

Gina swings her head back to face Rosa. “Exactly. Point Linetti.”

 

“Except for the fact that your wrong, and it’s a girl. Point Diaz.”

 

“No she’s right,” says Amy with a sigh. “Santiagos have boys. It’s definitely a boy.”

 

Right at that moment Jake is walking past the break room. He pops his head into the doorway with a excited look on his face. “What’d you say?”

 

Amy turns around to face him. “I said it’s going to be a boy.”

 

“Oh Amy,” says Jake dramatically, “You are sadly mistaken. Our baby is obviously going to be a girl.”

 

“Jake. I have seven brothers, twelve nephews, and only two nieces. This kid’s bound to be a boy.”

 

“Nope. It’s a girl. I can feel it in my bones.”

 

Amy arches an eyebrow. “Care to make it interesting?”

 

“Oh you’re so on,” replies Jake, his eyes lighting up. “Terms?”

 

“Whoever wins…” Amy starts.  She thinks for a moment, before clapping her hands in excitement. “I’ve got it. Whoever wins, the baby gets their last name.”

 

“Oooh what do you have to say to that, Jakey boy?” asks Gina.

 

“He says hell yes because he knows it’s a girl,” says Rosa through clenched teeth.

 

Jake looks at Amy for a moment, his mind working through all the possible outcomes before extending his hand for her to shake.

 

“Deal!”

 

\----

 

_18 weeks, 4 days_

 

Over the next few weeks, the bet grows to include the entire precinct.  In the corner of the whiteboard that once held their arrest count there is now a table labeled Boy and Girl (in green and orange, respectively, because #resist) with everyone’s name in either one column or the other.  Beneath the initial table is another one where almost everyone has filled in bets on when exactly the baby will be born, birth weight, length, pretty much anything you can bet on. It becomes a part of the morning briefing; Holt invites anyone who has changes or new bets to add them to the chart.

 

By the day of the appointment there are eight different bets going on, and one whole side of the whiteboard is covered in people’s various wagers.

 

The morning is chaotic, with a string of B&Es preventing them from thinking too much about the appointment.  But as soon as Amy’s alarm goes off at 11:00 am sharp, both Jake and Amy immediately drop the paperwork they’re working on and throw on their coats.

 

“Alright everyone,” announces Jake. “We’re off to see Baby Peralta.”

 

“Santiago,” corrects Amy.

 

“Right, Peralta,” Jake repeats, causing Amy to lightly shove him.

 

“Good luck!” Charles calls.

 

“Thanks buddy,” says Jake.

 

“Oh not to you, Jake. That baby is a boy, you can tell by the way Amy’s uterus is blossomin--”

 

“ _WHAT_ did I say about talking about my body?” Amy says with a deadly edge to her voice.

 

“And we’re off!” Jake says hurriedly, steering Amy towards the elevator. “Love you byeeeee!”

 

\--

 

Forty-five minutes later they’re in the doctor’s office watching their doctor move the ultrasound doppler over Amy’s belly.

 

“The baby will pop up on the screen over here,” says Dr. Marino, pointing to the screen on her left. “Now, are you two interested in knowing the sex of your baby?”

 

“Yes,” they both reply, with clear enthusiasm.

 

The doctor lets out a laugh. “Okay then. Just give me a few minutes to look some things over and then we’ll find out for you.”

 

Amy takes Jake’s hand and squeezes it. “We get to see our baby,” she whispers up at him.

 

He looks down, an excited grin spread across his face. “I know. I can’t believe it.”

 

At that moment the screen goes from black to being filled with images of a baby, their baby.

 

Amy lets out a gasp as she adjusts to see the screen better. It still looks a bit like an alien, but for the most part it looks like an actual human baby. She can feel tears welling up in her eyes as she watches it swirl around on the screen.

 

“Hi little one,” she whispers. She feels Jake squeeze her hand.

 

“This is amazing,” he murmurs, bringing Amy’s hand up and giving it a quick kiss. Her heart swells as she looks up and sees tears in Jake’s eyes as well.

 

“Everything looks good here,” says the doctor, causing both Jake and Amy to sigh with relief.

 

“Really?” Amy asks, tearing her eyes off the screen to look at the doctor.

 

“Yep,” she says with a warm smile, “Your little girl is perfectly healthy.”

 

Amy feels her jaw drop. “What? It’s a girl?!”

 

Dr. Marino nods, her smile widening. “Congratulations.”

 

“Ha HA!” Jake cries, “I KNEW it!”

 

Amy’s too shocked and surprised to even be mad.  “A girl,” she practically whispers, her voice filled with amazement. “I can’t believe it! Santiagos _never_ have girls.”

 

“Well believe it, babe,” says Jake, leaning down to kiss her temple. “Because this Santiago is going be the smartest, most gorgeous baby girl in all the land.”

 

“Santiago?” Amy asks, confused. “But you won the bet!”

 

Jake just shrugs. “I know. But I still want her to have your last name.”

 

Amy props herself up on her elbows, a small smile creeping onto her face. “Really?”

 

“Oh yeah,” he nods, “Santiago is way cooler. And,” he pauses, running his hand over his head before continuing, “I want her to be just like you.”

 

Once again, Amy feels tears threaten to spill over onto her cheeks. She would never get over how much he loves her.

 

“I love you,” she whispers before pulling him into another kiss, this time on the lips. It’s slow and deep, and if they weren’t in front of their doctor it would have probably led to some, well, _frisky_ behavior on that hospital bed. Instead, after a few seconds Jake pulls away, albeit not because he wants to.

 

He looks down and gently tucks a strand of hair out of Amy’s face.

 

“I love you too.”

 

(Afterwards they go to the bodega down the street and buy an orange tootsie pop for everyone at the precinct.  Charles screams, Terry cries, and Rosa gives Amy an actual, bonafide hug.)

 

\----

 

_35 weeks, 2 days_

 

Everyone handles the stress of working for a police precinct differently. Amy makes binders, Rosa fixes up old cars, Gina (and Holt) play Kwazy Kupcakes until their brains turn to mush.  But Jake?

 

Jake stress bakes.

 

Amy found this out shortly after they started dating. While Jake and Charles were working on a particularly nasty arson case, Amy came home one night to find Jake covered in flour and cocoa in her kitchen. There were two pans of brownies in the oven, three batches cooling on the counter, and one batch in the mixer.  When she entered the kitchen, he briefly said hello before turning back to his work. He didn’t talk for the rest of the night, except to let Amy know when a batch was done for tasting.

 

He was on batch ten when he solved the case.

 

Baking is how Jake organizes his thoughts, how he processes any stress. Over the last two years Amy has learned to tread lightly whenever the flour comes out of the cupboard. He baked croissants when his dad came back, banana bread when they were taking down Figgis, and during the Hawkins trial he made what felt like a hundred batches of cookies.

 

So when she smells butter and cinnamon as she walks up the stairs to their apartment mere weeks before her due date, she automatically prepares herself for the potential mess she could encounter.

 

“Babe?” she calls as she opens the door.  “I’m home.”

 

No response.

 

She turns the corner and enters the kitchen to see Jake hand mixing sort of dough.

 

“Whatcha making?” she asks as she steps out of her shoes.

 

Jake lifts the dough out of the bowl and begins to roll it onto the counter.  “Cinnamon rolls.”

 

“At seven o’clock at night?” Amy raises her eyebrows.

 

“Babe, there’s never a bad time for cinnamon rolls,” he replies, indignant.

 

“Point taken,” says Amy, clutching his arm as she reaches up to kiss his cheek. “You ok?” she murmurs.

 

“Mhm,” Jake nods, not looking up from the dough. Amy doesn’t buy it for a second.

 

“Jake, look at me,” she says, rubbing his arm with her thumb. He stops rolling, but still doesn’t look her in the eye. “What’s wrong?” she asks quietly.

 

Jake finally looks up at her, anxiety etched all over his face.

 

“Jake?”

 

He pauses.

 

“What if I can’t do this?” he practically whispers.

 

She furrows her eyebrows. “Do what?”

 

His gaze is drawn to her expanding belly. “Be someone’s dad.”

 

“Oh babe…” Amy trails off, her heart breaking at the nerves in his voice. “How could you even think that?”

 

“You know how,” he says simply. “What if I turn out like him?”

 

Amy squeezes his arm. “You won’t.”

 

“You don’t know that,” replies Jake, leaning onto the counter.

 

She gives him a sad smile as she rubs his arm, attempting to comfort him. “I wish you could see what I see when I look at you.”

 

“What? A goofy kid who never grew up?” he asks with a dark, shaky laugh.

 

Amy pulls his arm so he’s facing her, her belly creating a small space between them.  She brings her hands up to cradle his face.

 

“Goofy, yes,” she says with a small smile. “But Jake, you’re so much more than that. You’re smart, you’re kind, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known.  And, you have grown up so much since I first met you. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you’ll be the greatest dad to our little girl.”

 

“Really?” Jake asks, vulnerability seeping through his voice. He brings a hand up to hers and squeezes it.

 

“Yes really,” she replies. “There’s no one else I’d want to do this with.”

 

He sighs with relief as he brings his hands down to her belly. “I love you both so much.”

 

“And that right there is how I know you’re gonna be amazing,” she says before giving him a gentle kiss. She can feel him relax into her, finally letting go of this weight he’d been carrying as he slides his hands around her waist and pulls her close.

 

“Thanks, Ames,” he murmurs against her lips.

 

“Anytime, Pineapples,” she says with a smirk before pulling back. “Now, are you gonna finish making these cinnamon rolls? Because your girls are getting pretty hungry.”

 

“Well duh,” Jake replies. “There really isn’t a bad time for cinnamon rolls.”

 

“A baby daddy who bakes. I think I’ve officially hit the jackpot,” she says, her smile widening as she looks up at him and throws her arms around his neck.

 

He returns her smile with a grin of his own. “Nah, I think I’m the one who hit the jackpot.”

 

\----

 

_40 weeks, 3 days_

 

The sun has barely risen when Amy wakes up in her hospital room. A warm glow is cast over the room, making it look more homey and welcoming than it did just a few hours ago.

 

She rubs her eyes and gingerly rolls over onto her back, letting out a slight hiss as she does so. But all of the stiffness and soreness and pain melt away when she turns around to face the window.

 

Because there, passed out on the couch under the windowsill, is Jake with their daughter (their _daughter_ ) curled up in the crook of his elbow. Hanna’s tiny fists are clenched around his shirt and his hand is resting on her back, already protecting her from whatever harm could come her way. Even in sleep it’s so clear how much Jake loves their little girl. Amy watches for a moment as their bodies move together, their breath completely in sync. She knows it won’t last, but right now is the most peaceful she’s ever felt in her entire life.

 

The minute Hanna was born it was as if everything clicked into place. She was the puzzle piece they didn’t know they were missing, the part that made them whole. It was simultaneously the most magical, wonderful, and terrifying feeling in the world.

 

Hanna crinkles her nose and for a split second all Amy can see is the exact face Jake made when she told him Orangina is the same thing as orange soda. Her heart flutters at the familiar expression, just like it has every time she sees a piece of Jake or herself in their daughter’s face. So far she has Amy’s mouth and ears, but Jake’s eyes. And apparently, his same look of utter disgust.

 

As quietly and quickly as she can Amy grabs her phone off the bedside table and _very_ gently swings her legs off the side of the bed. She pulls up the camera on her phone and aims it at the two of them, her heart swelling with love and affection as she snaps their photo. She sits back on the bed and begins to flip through the hundred plus photos she’s already taken since Hanna was born just hours ago, not wanting to wake either of them up.

 

She’s swiping through hour three when she hears something, or rather someone, shift on the couch.

 

“Morning,” Jake croaks as he runs his hand over his unkempt hair.

 

“Hey there,” she replies. “You sleep okay?”

 

“Mmhm,” he murmurs. He gives her a sleepy smile. “I think I found heaven.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Oh yeah. I never want to move from this exact spot.”

 

As soon he says that Hanna opens her eyes. Amy feels her heart actually _ache_ as she watches her daughter (her _daughter!!_ ) look up at Jake with a quizzical gaze.

 

“Hey little one,” Jake whispers, his voice full of wonder. He runs the back of his finger over her dark hair. They stay like that for a bit, Amy watching Jake watch Hanna with utter fascination as the sun rises over their little hospital room.

 

“You want her?” he asks after he’s a little more awake.  Amy nods enthusiastically; as much as she loves watching Jake with the baby there’s still a part of her that feels incomplete without her girl in her arms.  

 

Jake shifts so that he’s sitting up with the baby on his chest.  Standing as gently as he could he walks her over to the bed and places the newborn in Amy’s outstretched arms.  She’s oddly confident as she pulls Hanna closer, snuggling her against the threadbare hospital gown. She had expected to be more tentative but for once she’s calm, collected.

 

“Hola Chiquita,” she coos. “You’re so incredible, you know that?”

 

Jake slides next to her on the bed.

 

“Yeah you are. The best accident there ever was.”

 

“Even better than when you got two bags of gummy bears for the price of one in the vending machine?”

 

“Oh, she’s better than all the gummy bears in the world combined.”

 

Amy let out a quiet laugh. “Wow, that’s some high praise.”

 

He leans down and gives the baby a soft kiss on her forehead. “She deserves it.”

 

“Yes she does,” says Amy, grazing Hanna’s cheek with her index finger.

 

Nine months ago, if someone would have told Amy that she’s be engaged and a mother within the year, she would have laughed in their face. The life calendar above the bed said she wouldn’t have kids until she was a Sergeant; a married Sergeant, to be specific.

 

But as she looks down at her daughter (her _DAUGHTER!!_ ), she’s never been more glad to be wrong in her entire life.

 

She feels Jake wrap his arm around her, enveloping her and the baby in a warm embrace. He plants a kiss on the top of Amy’s head, causing her eyes to flutter shut at his touch.

 

“It’s always gonna be you, Ames,” he murmurs into her hair.

 

Amy lifts her head so their lips are inches apart and gives him a gentle kiss.

 

“Always.”


End file.
